It’s targeted and clever, drip by drip planting the seeds. An orchestrated process to undermine Dublin on and off the pitch, with the focus on achieving their objective before the 2019 championship. Meanwhile kerry build under the radar out of the spotlight.

The first round of games include the provincial winners against each other in Croke Park, so possibly us v Donegal and Kerry v Galway first up. I’d say the GAA are praying for two quality games similar to what we have had in the hurling round robin games. It will be more fuel to the fire of eventually splitting/grading the football championship too. The last thing they will want is one sided games in the super 8’s.

Wouldn’t be surprised, desperate times, desperate measures and all that, though I do think the dirt in the Galway game may provide an obstacle to that, a lot of football to be played yet, might be sufficient to cleanse the memories. Will be monitoring closely all narratives for agenda setting.

In a way it’s brilliant that Spillane is at this carry on again. He has shown his true colours again but unfortunately for him this nothing incident was already dealt with and there’s ■■■■ all he can do. He was obviously on the edge of his seat waiting for the first tiny bit of controversy involving a Dub to latch onto.

Not to say this team needs any motivation cause they’re all clearly very driven young men anyway but how does any manager stop complacency setting in with a side that have won it all. Siege mentality. “Look what this gobshite is saying about us again. He hates us and hates the thought of us going one better than his great team. Let’s wipe the smug look off his face”

On another Pat Spillane related note. Dessie Dolan called out his Connolly bollocks last year. Has he been on the panel since? Seems to do co commentary but doesn’t seem to get the analysis gig anymore

Ah if only it were that simple! Every piece of propaganda over a number of years is as someone else said the drip drip effect, it creates a norm that suits the agenda, and maintains it. This is what happened to Connolly, with the suspension for almost nothing last year providing in effect the coup de grace, albeit delayed.

Connolly was deservedly suspended last year,the problem was the rule, they had no choice but to give him at least12 weeks, they gave him the minimum , but given what he did the minimum was way over the top. If he had been given a match nobody would have said anything.
Also the assumption that what happened this year is related to that incident, is only assumption, Only those in the know , know the real reasons why he left.

I find more and more these days with Gaelic and to a lesser extent hurling, its all about the popular narrative. One pundit says something and all of a sudden everyone latches on to it and it gets totally out of hand.

For example, that pox Parkinsons one man crusade to get the Dubs out of Croker. Totally pointless, hasn’t resulted in any home games for the weaker counties over the three years. Poor attendance from the opposition too.

Other examples are the various fan clubs screaming for all star and POTY awards for Mayo players. I mean Cluxton captains a three in a row All Ireland team and Clarke gets it last year, total Farce. Keegan and Moran POTY. Give me a break.

The worst of all is the treatment of DC last year. I was at the game and DC get punched 2/3 times in the face by a Carlow man (right in front of Linesman). He then barely pushes his shoulder and the hysteria results in a three month ban. Everyones favourite bridesmaid Moran does worse in the league and nothing.

Sorry for the long post but the point is Spillane et al are very conscious of the populism in GAA and the ability to set a narrative. Coopers the latest and on Sunday they showed his incident without the context of the treatment he was getting during the game. He’s no saint but its so minimal in terms of 100’s of incidents over a Champo weekend. Neil McGee for example

GAA media is a shambles and whatever the latest brainfart is will the next talking point to drag on over the summer

Great post Burlap. I’m really going out of my way to ignore the culchie bulshit and being. very selective on what I read or pay attention to ( usually just Dublins sites and some news)

Great post Burlap. I’m really going out of my way to ignore the culchie bulshit and being. very selective on what I read or pay attention to ( usually just Dublins sites and some news)

Its the only way! The other point about all this is how underserved we are with proper sports Journalism for our national games. I rarely get stuck into much media which is a shame as I love to read about all other sports.

Don’t get me started on the lack of highlights or mid week telly show for GAA. There has to huge demand out there for it. Obviously the sports budget is getting spent of Dinosaur pundits

And fair play to Napper, didn’t realize it was Spillane who got the ball rolling on the Dubs out of Croker. I used to listen to Off the Ball when Parkinson was on and he certainly got right behind it too.